Sunday Hoops- Bucks vs Raptors
The 50-20 Milwaukee Bucks take on the 35-36 Toronto Raptors in a nationally televised game on NBA TV. The game is at home at the “beer keg”, the Fiserv Forum. The Bucks have finally had a few days off after they stunk it up in the second half versus the Pacers on Thursday night. Milwaukee gets the comfort of being at home, plus the Raptors have really stunk it up on the road playing to a 12-23 record away from the Scotiabank arena.
Somebody is going to have to wash off “the stink”.
If the playoffs started tomorrow Toronto would be in. They have worked hard over their last twenty game to sneak into the play-in tournament. Toronto has won 9 of their last 14 games.
The Bucks won game one of the season series 104-101 in overtime.
The Bucks also won game two of their season series 130-122.
These teams will face off again in the last game of the NBA regular season on April 9th. The Bucks have already clinched a playoff berth.
Bucks keys
Don’t Turn the Basketball Over
Toronto is 1st in the NBA in team turnovers. They simply don’t turn the ball over. (12.0 per game)
The Bucks are 23rd in the NBA in team turnovers. Sometimes the make sloppy passes.
Milwaukee has had some high turnover games recently. But they have been able to keep down that number in wins vs Brooklyn and in the close 76er’s loss. (Only 13 total team turnovers.) Winning the “turnover battle” in the NBA is also a very real thing. Milwaukee needs to do that to win. In the recent loss against the Pacers they simply turned the ball over too much in the second half.
Milwaukee is the type of team that can have 12 or 13 turnovers or can play sloppy and have 19-20 turnovers.
Time to show off the depth
Jae Crowder did not play against Indiana. Neither did Brook Lopez. A big game from one of those two would really help.
So would a big game from Khris Middleton. He played 33 minutes but only managed 16 points on 6-20 shooting. It is “go-time” for Cash Money Middleton. When he shoots well, the Bucks tend to win.
Quality minutes for the Bucks are a “must”. It is time to start to see Iron Shaping Iron.
The Opponent: The Toronto Raptors
Toronto made a strong, subtle move in acquiring Jakob Poeltl (12/9/2)from the Spurs. Toronto gave up a protected first in 2024 and two seconds. The move has really helped vault them back into the playoff chase.
Pascal Siakam leads Toronto in all of the bigger individual statistical categories. (Points/Rebounds/Assists) He is arguably one of the better players in the NBA no one seems to talk about. But he needs help and it just hasn’t seemed to consistently work out. Siakam had 27 points, ten rebounds and six assists vs the Timberwolves in their most recent win.
Fred VanVleet has been all too inconsistent for the Raptors. He scored 28 against the T-Wolves in their last game. However he only scored 3 points a few days ago against Atlanta. VanVleet still has not settled down after tons of trade rumors, including ones that involved the Bucks.
Scottie Barnes is in his second year and has also been inconsistent. Again, against the T-Wolves he put up 10, a few days ago against Atlanta he put up 27 and then before that against Charlotte scored 7 points.
For Toronto guys just seem to disappear in stretches. That’s not good.
Things to tell your buddies as you are watching the game
- Want a “COVID” flashback? Check out this older game preview when Toronto used to have to play in Florida due to travel restrictions.
- Milwaukee leads the all-time series 56-44.
- The Toronto Huskies played the New York Knicks in 1946. Many have argued that it is the first, “official” game in NBA history.
- Alvin Robertson is the career leader for the Bucks in steals per game. Robertson averaged 2.7 steals a game for Milwaukee.
- Alvin Robertson is the first player to score a point for this iteration of the Toronto Raptors franchise.
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